Design Awards

Council is formally recognising good design in the municipality through the annual Design Awards. The awards began in 2016 and aim to encourage good design in a positive way, outside the formal planning and building approval process.

Nominations are sought for four categories: single dwelling, multiple dwellings, extension and non-residential project. These are judged by a three person panel comprising the Mayor Christina Holmdahl and two of Council’s planners.

Winners receive a plaque, or in 2017's case a peg, which is presented at a Council meeting. It is hoped that the reputation of the awards builds over time.

Selection Criteria (as approved by Councillors):

1. Capacity to stimulate, engage and delight its occupants, visitors and passers-by.
2. Complexity of brief / degree of difficulty - its ambition and ideas.
3. Extent of innovation, invention and originality.
4. Integration of allied disciplines - contribution of others, including engineers, landscape
architects and other specialists to the project outcome.
5. Selection of materials and the way in which they are detailed.
6. Size / space – but not in terms of square metres, the spatial experience it offers.
7. Public benefits – has it made a significant contribution to its immediate environment?
8. Sustainability – The benefit to the environment through design.
9. Performance against the above criteria in light of the project budget.

The 2018 Design Awards nominations will open in February 2019.

Past winners:

2017 -

Winner best single dwelling: Edwards + Simpson/L. & R. Atkins. Good design in the Eden Hills Estate. Logically arranged and cleverly articulated volumes are oriented toward the sun and the view. Engaging from the street whilst being respectful of its neighbours. Well considered outdoor space and effective use of materials.Winner best multiple dwellings: Terrace Twenty Five/K. & B. Wheeler. The second unit in a staged project for the builders/developers/owners. Effective use of a steep site to capitalise on views. Skilled use of materials, particularly the timber-lined semi-enclosed deck.Winner best renovation/extension: Prime Design/Velo Wines. The next stage in the development of a long-established vineyard in the West Tamar. A striking, modern extension to the existing cellar door that is at the same time welcoming and intimate.Winner best non-residential project: Simplicity Studio/Moores Hill Estate. Fresh thinking on how a winery could be arranged to benefit those who work there and the end result, the wine. It doesn’t hurt that it delights from the outside and runs completely off-grid too.

2016 - Winner best single dwelling: Alan Powell & Prime Design/J. & M. Taylor, Legana: A considered and comprehensive approach to the layout, with high quality finishes, including polished concrete. The design provides privacy to the street but opens up to the views and sun.
Winner best multiple dwellings: Urban Design Solutions/Swain Constructions, Riverside: The terrace arrangement is an efficient use of the steep site. It has a timeless street façade. Well finished and presented urban living with generous outdoor areas.
Winner best non-residential project: Wington Glamping, Clarence Point: A new concept in the municipality that has won people over with its sensitive use of a spectacular site for luxury camping.